Philip g



P. RUSSELL.

(No Model.)

PROJEGTILE.

Patented Nov. 24, 1891.

mg xg y; Perms co. PH

7 riiied gun, they would not keep point on in UNITED "rATEs ATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP G. RUSSELL, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PROJ ECTILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,922, dated November 24,1891.

' Application filed December 27, 1890. Serial No. 375,981. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP G. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding in \Vashington city, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and use- .ful Improvements in Projectiles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the-accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 shows a view in side elevation of one form of my improved projectile; Fig. 2, a

view of the same in rear elevation; Fig. 3, a

view of a transverse section on line a: w of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the form of projectile shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a View 'in side elevation of another form of my pro jectile; Fig. 6, a view of the same in rear elevation; Fig. 7, a transverse section of the same on line y y of Fig.5; Fig. 8, a similar section of the same on line .22 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9', a viewin side elevation of anotherforin of my projectile provided with curved surfaces for the gases to act upon; Fig. 10, a perspective view'of the same; Fig. 11, a similar view of still another form of projectile made in a'c-- cordance with my invention; Fig. 12, atrans- "verse section of the same on line 00' a," of Fig.

certain improvements in projectiles; and to this end it consists in the projectile and the parts thereof constructed and arranged as hereinafter specified. V

The special purpose of my invention has been to make it possible to use elongated pro-' jectiles in smooth-bore or unrifled guns without danger of tumbling and consequent inaccuracy and irregularityin flight and shortness of range. Where conical or elongated projectiles as heretofore made have been fired -=frorn a smooth-bore gun or one without riding,

it has been found that they tumbled as soon as they left the guiding-bore of the gun. Without rotation on their axes, such as would be given them by the grooves or riding of a as the sourceof propellingpowe'r, because on account of the blast, of gases traveling forwa'rdb'eyon'd the muzzle .of the gun with the projectile the air does not begin to act upon the vanes. or wings until the projectilehas" .gone somedistanceand had opportunity to tumble. In order to make certain'that this tumbling shall not occur, it'is necessary to give the projectile its steadying rotation befol-cit. reaches and leaves the gun-muzzle.

Suchrotation I secure bythe action of the propelling-gases themselves upon portions of my' projectile while the latter is' in and is traveling through theguiding-bore of the gun i and avithout the intervention or aid of inclined grooves or riding in the gun. For this purpose I provide the projectile withinclined faces situated well forward toward its front end and adapted to be reached and en'- gaged by the gases passing forward along or around the sides of its rear portion or body,

In the drawings. my projectile is shown as having the forward enlarged portionA and Y the rear reduced portion B forming the body The rear part or main part of the projectile. a of the head or front portion A is made of such diameter asto substantially fit the bore of the gun in which'theprojectile is to be used. ,7 From such-parto the head is tapered so as to form a point of the usual well-known construction.it lVhile I have shown the point as of theOgi'val' form,'I do not limit myself to such shape. T

The portion B of the projectile extending rearward from the head A is preferably, but

not necessarily, cylindrical in general shape, the diameter of the cylinder being a little less than that of the part a of the projectilehead, so that while the projectile is in the.

bore of the gun there will be an annular space around the portion B between its sides and the walls of the gun-bore. This space enables portions of the propellingases in the gun to travel forward around and along the 3o sage ends should be so constructed and situ- I ss projectile sides to the. enlarged head A. In the periphery of the latterI make forwardlyextend'ing passages a a of any desired number, Opening at their rear ends into the space around the reduced portion or body B of the projectile. In the form of projectile shown in Figs/.1, 2, 3, and tthere are four of these passages, each extending from its rear end part way around the head-A at an angle to a plane through-the projectiles axis. The forward side of'each passage is made abrupt, while its rear side is rounded or beveled off, as shown, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

With the portion a made, as indicated, of a diameter to fit the gun-bore closely the parts of thepassages a a which run along such portion will obviously be closed on their outer'sides by the walls of the bore while the projectile isin the gun-barrel. In order that the passages may then be open at their forward ends to permit the flow of gases through them, I continue said passages through or somewhat beyond the part aof the projectile-head. As shown, they run down alonga part of the tapering point, so that there will always be clear openings at their forward ends, even while the projectile is in the barrel of a gun. Of whatever shape the passages or the projectile-head may be, the front pasated as to allow unimpeded flow of gases through them without obstruction by the walls of the gun-bore which inclose the projectile. \Vhen thepassages running at an anglearound the projectile-head, as shown and described, are made with beveled rear sides, the air through which the projectile may pass cannot obtain such hold upon them as to check any rotation which may have been given the projectile before leaving the gun by the action of portions of the propelling-gases along and through said passages. With the part a made short and the passages set at a greater angle than as shown in Fig. 1 the rear sides of the latter could be made abrupt, like their forward sides, without olfering any material extent of. inclined surface to be engaged by the air in a way to retard the projectiles rotation or flight. The rear sides of the passages would, so far as the flow of air past and over the projectile-point is concerned, be substantially concealed and protected by the forward passage sides. At the extreme forward ends of the passages the forward sides could be carried down the projectile-point a short distance beyond the rear sides, so as to effectually prevent the air engaging the latter there during the travel and rotation of the projectile. The same object could be gained if the forward ends of rear sides of the passages were beveled or rounded off. Both the described extending of the forward side of each inclined passage down upon the taper o'r conical point beyond the rear side and the beveling off of the forward end of the latter ,side not only secure the desired protection of such end from the action of the airas-the projectile travels forward and rotates, but f they also leave a portion of v the abrupt gas-- the rear side of the passage for the gases. to i get a hold upon while the projectile is within a. gun-bore. This excess of the" abrupt gasengaging surfaces on the forward sides of the passages a and a exists in all the forms of projectiles shown in the drawings, the extend.- ing of the-inclined passages down upon the taper or conical point beyond the cylindrical bore-fitting part a and the beveling off of the rear passage sides being well adapted to secure such excess. The advantage of such an arrangement and construction will be understood from the description of the operation of my invention to-be given hereinafter.

In order to steady and guide the reduced rear part or body of the projectile while-the latter is in and traveling along the barrel of a gun, I provide it with a number of projections or lugs 12 b, which are adapted to engage the walls of the gun-bore and between which are spaces b b to allow 'theforward passage of the propellinggases from behind the projectile to the annular space from which the-passages a a open. In the projectile shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and tthese guiding lugs or projections 12 b are provided with inclined forwardly-turned abrupt 'facesb? b running in a direction opposite to that of the passages a a, so that the air through which the projectile may pass will by engaging them tend to rotate the projectile in the same direction as do the gases when engaging and flowing through the inclined passages. The guide-lugs as so arranged form,

then, vanes or feathers tending to cause rotation or continuation of the rotation by the action of the air. The sides of the lugs opposite to the inclined faces b b are preferably beveled or rounded .off, as shown, so as not to present any abrupt surfaces to retard the rotation of the projectile, and they are made to extend longitudinally along the projectile-body, in order that the gases passing forward along them may not tend to rotate the projectile in the wrong direction.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 the projectile is shown as provided wit-h two of the inclined passages instead of four and with two guiding and steadying portions at its rear end. In this form of projectile the gas-engaged passages a a are preferably made larger than those shown in Fig. 1, and their forward ends, being continued at a considerable angle down upon the tapering part of the projectile-head in front of the bore-fitting part a, have their rear sides well beveled off or cut away, so as to leave a most free and unimpeded outlet for the gases.

The bore cnga ing, steadying, and guiding lugs orpieces b are shown as each extending around a considerable portion of the projectile-body with the abrupt air-enga in inclined face b ru hnin'g at a sharp angle and the longitudinally-extending side rounded off on an eccentric curve, soasto cause the leastpossible resistance to the proj ectiles. rotation. The abrupt forward sides of the passages.

.varied and the passages and air-engag' ing surfaces maybe at. angles differing in degree without departure from my inv'entiom \Vhile I' have shown in the two forms of projectiles hereinbefore described the portions of the assa es d'a' assin alon .iart

. b b B 'aof the projectile-head with their forward curvature can be of any-desired kind. As

and rear sides substantiallyparallel and running in a substantially straight line, I do not limit myself to such construction, The assages can be varied in shape and in t eir.

course around the head, as desired. They can be curved instead of straight, and the shown in Figs. 9 and 10, starting from their rear ends, where they open into the annular. "space behind head A, they extend forward and to one side with an increasing curvature,

so that their forward ends stand at an abrupt angle to an axial plane. The rear portions of the passages may be made substantially longitudinal with reference to the projectilebody. \Vith the grooves curved as described the forward side of each of them will present an inclined surface to be engaged b'yjthe -gases,;but one whose' inclination to a plane through the projectiles axis increases toward its forward end, so that" the gases as they travel forward meet and act-upon successively more and more abruptly-inclined portions of the passage side. This form of passage is very efficient in securing the-desired rapid rotation of the projectile while in the gun.

Instead of forming the lugs or guiding and steadying projections h b 'on the rear portion of body B with inclined surfaces to be engaged by the air, as in the forms of projectile shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, I contemplate making them as shown in Figs. 11, 13, 14,15, and 16, with their opposite sides running longitudinally or substantially parallel with planes through theprojectiles axis.

Their front ends and the sides which are forward with reference to the rotation to be given the projectile are preferably rounded, as shown, so as to catch the air as little as possible in such way as to tend to retard the projectiles travel and turning.

In the form of device appearing in Fig. 11 both sides of the lugs are rounded; but such arrangement is not necessary. The gas-engaging passages are shown as being four in number and having their rear sides beveled or cut away inore'than those of the passages in' the projectiles illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. The lugs on the form of projectile shown in one side or the other against the walls of the Figs. 13 and .14 are of stillanother form',}'be ing ratchet-shaped in cross-section.

. \Vhile in the various formsof my invention" already described the body B is shownv as substantially cylindrical t'oits rear end, I contemplate making it instead,-where desired,

with its rear portion tapered or rounded (see Figs. 15 and" 16) to allow free forwardpassage of. the gases between the guide-lugs with as little as possible of the tendency on the part of the gas-pressure toforcethe rear-end of the projectile to one side or the other. -With a conical Surface, or one tapering down to a point presented to the action of the gases, the latter will be divided and caused to flow equally through the passages between the lugs, so that there will be equal pressure on opposite sides of body B.- It has been found,

rear end of such body as shown in Figs. 1 5 and 1G and just described is not at all necesary in order to make certain of the desired rotation of the projectile bythegases.

the opposite sides of the passages a" a as. substantially parallel, I do not limit myself to such construction. I-f desired,the passages may be made increasing in width toward their forward ends without departure from '1ny in-" vention. The object of such an arrangement, which is to secure the freest possible clear- While in some of the figures Ihave shown a ance for the gases at the forward ends of the passages, can be attained also by making the latter deeper, carrying them farther down on the reducedpoint of part A or increasing the bevel or inclination of the rear sides of the passages.

Instead of making the inclined passages in the shape of open grooves in the periphery of part aof the projectile, I contemplate, where desired, giving them the form of spiral orinclined closed-sided or tubular gas-conduits extending from the annular space around the reduced part B through part a to points where their forward ends will be inclosed and un- Ire obstructed while the projectile isin the bore' of the gun.

' \Vhile I have shown and described the projectile as provided with gasenga'ging inclines or inclined passages only at its forward end, I contemplate also making the projecting portions or lugs I) b with abrupt rearWardly-facinclines, in, order that the power acting to produce rotation may be applied only at "a point well forward 'on'the projectile, as I have found that where the inclined gas-engaging faces are situated at or near the projectiles rear end the pressure of the gases is apt to produce a jamming or forcing of such end to gun-bore, which will interfere with, if it does not prevent, the desired rotation.

.In my projectile with its body to the rear of its'head reduced in size, so as to leave an 8 however, by actual practice that the form of 45 clined surface at the forward side of each annular space around it, the gases admitted freely to such space will tend to prevent this jamming referred to above; but I find that the best results in securing free and rapid rotation ofthe projectile before it leaves the gun can be obtained with the inclined passages or surfaces situated well forward and in front of the reduced portion of the body, as described hereinbefore, and shown in the several figures of the drawings.

The manner in which the several features.

of myimproved projectile serve to insure the desired result under the action of the propelling-gases in a gun is briefly as follows:

vVVith' the portion a fitting the gun-bore and the projections or lugs 12 b engaging the latter the projectile will rest with its axis normally in line with that of the bore. When the propelling-explosive is fired, the gases therefrom act, as usual, to propel the project ile'forward and also flow between projections or lugs b 1) into the annular space around the projectiles body between the latter and the walls of the bore. Here, entirely surroundin g and pressing equally upon all sides of the body, the gases will act to center the latter in I the bore and prevent its rear end from being forced to one side or the other, so as to jam it or the projections thereon against the borewalls in such manner that the easy rotation of the projectile on its axis would be interfered with or prevented. From the annular space surrounding the body B the gases will be distributed to and flow forward through the open-ended inclined passages in the enlarged bore fitting part a of the projectile. Passing along the inclined surfaces at the sides of said passages and issuing at the forward ends of ,the latter, which stand at an angle to axial planes through the projectile, as shown in the drawings, the gases will, by unbalanced pressure exerted upon the abrupt forward sides of said passages, act with great powerto rotate the projectile rapidly upon its axis. Vith the abrupt gas-engaging inpassage exceeding in extent the portion of the rear side upon which the gases can geta good hold while the projectile is in the gun-bore and the latter side beveled or rounded ofi, as shown and described,-the amount of unbalanced pressure acting upon the several abrupt inclined surfaces to turn the projectile on its axis will obviously be'great and capable of exerting a very considerable projectile-rotating power. The result is that the projectile, while in and guided by the bore of the gun and before it reaches and leaves the muzzle of the latter,will be given rotation amply sufficient to insure its steadiness of flight and freedom from subjected to the dangerous torsional and longitudinal strain necessarily existing where'- the usual riding is depended upon to secure the required rotation. The power necessary to start a heavy projectile from a state of rest into rapid rotation within the very short space of time during which said projectile is pass ing through the bore of a gun must obviously be very great.' Where, then, as in the ordinary rifled guns, the riding on the interior of the barrel is relied upon to secure the starting and bringing of the projectiles revolution up to the speed required to insure steadiness of flight, there is necessarily a very dangerous amount of torsional and longitudinal strain upon the gun, the result of* which is often the bursting of the piece, and in the case of built-up' guns the rupture of the inner tube at least by the combined twisting and longitudinal pull upon the same.

This source of danger to the gun is removed entirely where my projectiles are used, for the desired rotation of the latter is secured by the action of the same gases which are used to prowhich I do not regard as necessary, but which can be-used, if desiredywill, after the projectile gets beyond the powder-blaster current of gases flowing forward beyond the muzzle of the gun, engage the air through which the projectile passes and tend to assist or keep up the rotation given the latter by the gases in the manner described while it was in the gun-bore.

My invention is applicable to shells or hollow projectiles as well as to solid armorpiercing ones. here it is applied to shells having an interior explosive-carryin g cavity, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, I contemplate employing the usual screw-plug with time or contact fuse to close the rear end of the cavity or making the rear portion of the projectile carrying the radial projections-0r lu'gs separate from the projectile-body and adapted to be screwed upon or into the end of the latter, so as to form a. cavity-closing cap or plug. This idea of making the lugcarrying part separate from the rest can of which can be afterward cut or milled out in IIO any desired way. As they do not have to be adapted to take the grooves of any riding, the usual brass or soft-metal gas-rin gs which have to be applied to the steel or other hard-metal projectiles now in use for rifled guns can be dispensed with and the projectiles can be made entirely of hard metal, if desired. If,.

then, a softer bearing-surface to engage the walls of the gun-bore is required "for any reason, the periphery of the projectiles can be given a thin coating or plating of soft metal by any of the well-known methods of apply-' ing a softer toa harder metal.

Havingthus described my invention, what Iclaimis p 1. An elongated projectile for use in smoothbore guns, having its forward portion provided with inclined passages through which 7 the gases from the rear of the projectile can pass while the latter. is in the bore of'a gun,

having rearwardly-facing abrupt sides extending down upon the taper part or point of the projectile, substantially as and'for the purpose shown. r v

2. 'A projectile having its forward portion provided with inclined passages through which the gases from the rear of the project ile canpas's while the latter-is in the inclosing bore of the gun, such passages having their forward and rear sides respectively abrupt and beveled oif, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An elongated projectile for use in smooth bore guns, having its forward portion provided with inclined passages through which the gases from the rear of the projectile can pass when the latter is. in the bore of a gun,

having abrupt. rearwardlyfacing forward sides and the forward portions of their rear sides cut away to allow fiow of the gases over them while the projectile is in the gun-bore, substautiallyas and for the purpose described.

4. Aprojectile formed so as to leave an annular channel or space around its body forward of the rear bore-engaging end of the latter,'into and from which gases from the rear ofthe projectile can flow when the latter is in the bore of a gun and having inclined surfaces to be engaged by the gases, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

5. A projectile having its forward part adapted to fit the bore of a gun, its body reduced in size to leave an annular space around it forwardof the rear bore-engaging end of the body, into which the gases from the rear of the projectile can flow when the latter is in the gun-bore, and inclined passages leading from such space through the bore-fitting forward part, substantially as and for the purpose described. I

6. A projectilehaving at or near itsforward end the portion adapted to fit the bore of thegun in which the projectile is to be used, its

body to "the rear of such portion formed so as to leave an, annular space around between it and the wallsof the bore, connected with the space at the rear of the projectile bysuitable of the gun-bore in communication with the space'at the rear of the projectile and passages in the periphery of the pro ectile extending from the rearend of the forward bore-fitting portion to and beyond the front end of the same, each having an abrupt rearwardly-turned face running forward at an angle to a plane through the axis of the projectile, substantially as and for the purpose shown. f

, 8. A projectile having the forward cy11n drical portion to-fit the bore of the gun in which it is to be used, a suitable tapering point, the body having an annular channel in its periphery and one or more-passages communicating with said channel from the rear end of the projectile, and inclined passages extending forward, from the channel beyond the cylindrical bore-fitting part, so that their forward ends will be open and unobstructed when the projectile is inclosed in theloore of a gun, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ting part provided with a suitable point, the body to the rear of such part reduced in-s ze and at or near its rear end provided w th bore-engaging lugs or projections between which the gases from the rear of the pro ectile can when the latter is in a gun-bore pass to the annular space around the reduced partof the body, and inclined passages in the periphery of the projectile extending from the rear end to and beyond the front end of the forward bore-fitting part, Substantially as and for the purpose described. V

10. A projectile having the forward borefitting part provided with a suitable point, the body reduced in size so as to form an annular channel around the same and provided at or near its rear end with the radial projections having inclined. forwardly-turned abrupt faces, and inclined passages in the forward bore-fitting part-communicating at their rear ends with the channel around the projectile body and at their forward ends opening at points in front of said part, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim-the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of HENRY C. HAZARD, -E. L. WHITE. 

